Designated Safeguarding Lead

£41,010 - £49,149 + excellent benefits Please note that applications for this role will close on Sunday 26th April, with interviews scheduled for Wednesday 6th May. Those Huge Small Victories For children with complex, challenging needs, the level of care and education must go above and beyond and that’s what drives us here at Witherslack Group. With our high staff-to-child ratio and in-house clinical teams, we’re proud to have won a reputation for excellence. Our aspirational homes, schools and ethos help us achieve the best possible outcomes. In short, we’re enhancing life opportunities. Our Designated Safeguarding Leads are a huge part of making sure our children and young people’s needs are fully recognised and comprehensively met. Get out what you put in You will work as part of the leadership team and report directly to the Head Teacher for this crucial role. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other members of the Witherslack Group team in different locations to enable you to progress and develop your skills and knowledge. As a Designated Safeguarding Lead you will take responsibility for safeguarding within the school, this means that on a daily basis you will be liaising with statutory and non-statutory agencies, parents/carers and staff on matters of wellbeing , child protection and safeguarding and will be a great source of support, advice and expertise in the team. One of the best environments in SEND Lavender Lodge school resides within an 18th Century building in the heart of Mitcham. Our pupils come from many different boroughs to attend our school and are lucky to experience ‘a life changing love of learning.’ We are proud of our pupils and our dedicated team and pupils leave us with a sense of achievement. Having joined the Witherslack Group family in 2022, Lavender Lodge School is an independent specialist day school providing high-quality education, based in South London. The school meets the needs of pupils with a primary diagnosis of autism and additional needs such as ADHD, speech and language difficulties, sensory issues and associated behavioural difficulties. We were recently recognised as Good by Ofsted . What we do for you We know you’re going to do great things. For your hard work and commitment, we reward you with the best salary and benefits package in the education sector. With us, you’ll get to bring learning to life and make a genuine difference to the lives of our young people – plus you’ll get: Training: A full induction and on the job training Holiday: You’ll work hard at WG, so you’ll be rewarded with full school holidays Flexible benefits: meaning you can increase/decrease benefits such as life insurance – check out our benefits here Wellbeing: a host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance Medical cover so you can claim back the cost of things like an opticians or dentist appointment and a host of high-street discounts Beautiful working environments with the very best facilities – check out our schools here A recommend a friend scheme that offers a £1,000 bonus every time Contributory pension scheme – matched up to 5% Bring your whole-self to work Our young people and their families come from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds and with different needs – and our workforce reflects that diversity, so that our teams can engage, encourage and inspire our young people to be themselves. As well as having at least 3 years’ experience in a Designated Safeguarding Lead role, we will also look for: Comprehensive portfolio of CPD related to Safeguarding and Child Protection. Outstanding interpersonal and problem resolution skills. A genuinely empathetic approach is also essential Full UK driving licence Interested in joining us? At Witherslack Group, inclusion is part of who we are. We’re committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected, valued and that they truly belong. As a specialist provider of education and care for children and young people with special educational needs, we understand the importance of embracing individuality and championing difference- especially when it comes to neurodiversity. We celebrate diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and the unique strengths that each person brings to our community. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities. We are proud to be recognised as an inclusive employer and are committed to making our recruitment and workplace practices inclusive and accessible. If you need any adjustments to support you through the recruitment process or in the workplace, we’ll be there every step of the way. By building a diverse and inclusive team, we’re better able to support the children, young people and families we serve and ensure every member of our team can thrive, grow, and be their authentic self. The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (we will cover the cost) and an online search. We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community. For a full job description and person specification, please click here To view our ex-offenders policy please click here. To view our Child Protection Policy, please visit the 'Parents and Carers' section of this School/Learning centre. You can find all our Schools here. Special Education / Careers in Care / Careers in Special Education / Working with Children / SEMH / SEN / ASD We are the highest Ofsted-rated provider in the country for special education and care. Our teams are fulfilled by the idea of making even the smallest positive changes in our young people, so we celebrate the little things. There’s lots of ups and downs, and to some of our young people, just sitting through a lesson can be a big win. We call these huge small victories and whilst they may seem small on the surface, they add up to make a big difference. We live and learn with children and young people with social, emotional and mental health needs, communication difficulties (such as Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, or speech, language and communication needs), ADHD or complex learning needs. We have the most joined-up model in SEN, the best environments and we are proud of what we do. Mission: We are the leading provider of specialist education and care for children and young people with social, emotional and mental health needs, communication difficulties (autistic spectrum conditions; speech, language and communication needs), ADHD and complex learning needs.